Ilex plant named ‘FarrowBPop’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Ilex  plant named ‘FarrowBPop’, characterized by its upright and compact plant habit; freely branching habit; dense and bushy growth habit; flat dark green-colored leaves; numerous bright red-colored berries; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Ilex verticillata.

Cultivar denomination: ‘FarrowBPop’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct Ilex plant, botanically known as Ilex verticillata and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘FarrowBPop’.

The new Ilex plant originated from an open-pollination during the spring of 1999 of Ilex verticillata ‘Red Sprite’, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unknown selection of Ilex verticillata, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Ilex plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor during the summer of 2002 as a single plant within the progeny of the stated open-pollination in a controlled environment in Earleville, Md.

Asexual reproduction of the new Ilex plant by softwood cuttings in Earleville, Md. since the autumn of 2002 has shown that the unique features of the new Ilex plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Ilex have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype. The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘FarrowBPop’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘FarrowBPop’ as a new and distinct Ilex plant:

-   -   1. Upright and compact plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit; dense and bushy growth habit.     -   3. Flat dark green-colored leaves.     -   4. Numerous female flowers that produce bright red-colored         berries.     -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Ilex differ from plants of the female parent, ‘Red Sprite’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Ilex are more compact than plants of ‘Red         Sprite’.     -   2. Plants of the new Ilex produce more berries than plants of         ‘Red Sprite’.

Plants of the new Ilex can be compared to the plants of Ilex verticillata ‘Spravy’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Grand Haven, Mich., plants of the new Ilex differed from plants of ‘Spravy’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Ilex were more compact than plants of         ‘Spravy’.     -   2. Plants of the new Ilex had darker green-colored leaves than         plants of ‘Spravy’.     -   3. Plants of the new Ilex produce more and darker-colored         berries than plants of ‘Spravy’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Ilex plant. The photographs show the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describe the colors of the new Ilex plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘FarrowBPop’ with fully-developed berries.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of typical leaves and flowers of ‘FarrowBPop’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the spring and summer in three-gallon containers in an outdoor nursery in Grand Haven, Mich. and under cultural practices typical of commercial production. Plants were four years old when the photographs and detailed description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Ilex verticillata ‘FarrowBPop’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Ilex verticillata ‘Red Sprite’, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown selection of Ilex             verticillata, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By softwood cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 30 days at             temperatures of 24° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About four             months at temperatures of 24° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Perennial shrub; upright and compact             plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit; dense and bushy             growh habit with about 18 lateral branches developing per             plant.         -   Plant height.—About 73 cm.         -   Plant diameter, area of spread.—About 45 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 46 cm. Diameter:             About 5 mm. Internode length: About 4 cm. Strength: Strong.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color, young stems: Close to             146A. Color, mature stems: Close to 195A.         -   Leaf description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length:             About 6.5 cm. Width: About 3.5 cm. Shape: Elliptic. Apex:             Acuminate. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Serrulate. Venation             pattern: Pinnate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous. Aspect: Mostly flat. Color: Developing leaves,             upper surface: Close to 137B. Developing leaves, lower             surface: Close to 138B. Fully expanded leaves, upper             surface: Close to 139A; venation, close to 139A. Fully             expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 137C; venation,             close to 145C. Petioles: Length: About 6.5 mm. Diameter:             About 3 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 145C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower appearance and arrangement.—Single axillary rotate             flowers; freely flowering habit with up to seven flowers             developing per axil and about 31 flowers developing per             lateral branch; flowers typically only female; flowers face             mostly outwardly.         -   Natural flowering season.—Flowering commences in the middle             of spring in Michigan; flowers last about three to five             weeks on the plant; flowers not persistent.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flower diameter.—About 6 mm.         -   Flower length (height).—About 5 mm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Shape: Oblong to rounded. Color: Close to 146A.         -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Five to six petals in a single             whorl; fused at the base. Length: About 3 mm. Width: About             2 mm. Shape: Oblong to obovate. Apex: Obtuse. Margin:             Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.             Color: When opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close to             155D. Fully opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 155D;             color becoming closer to 157A with development.         -   Calyx.—Length: About 2 mm. Diameter: About 4 mm. Shape:             Star-shaped. Sepal texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Smooth, glabrous. Sepal color, upper and lower surfaces:             Close to 145A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2 mm. Diameter: Less than 1 mm.             Strength: Strong. Aspect: About 45° to 60° from lateral             branch axis. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to             144A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Quantity per flower: If             observed, about four or five; rudimentary, not developed.             Gynoecium: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: Less             than 1 mm. Style length: Less than 1 mm. Style color: Close             to 145B. Stigma shape: Rounded. Stigma color: Close to 145B.             Ovary color: Close to 145B. Fruits (berries): Quantity and             arrangement: Freely fruiting habit with up to seven berries             developing per axil and about 31 berries developing per             lateral branch; berries persistent. Length: About 6 mm to             8 mm. Diameter: About 7 mm to 8 mm. Shape: Spherical.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color, immature: Close to 146D.             Color, mature: Close to 43A and 44A. Seeds: Viable seed             development has not been observed on plants of the new Ilex. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Ilex have been observed to     have good garden performance and to be tolerant to rain, wind and     temperatures ranging from about −20° C. to about 30° C. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants have not been observed to be     resistant to pathogens and pests common to Ilex. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Ilex plant named ‘FarrowBPop’ as illustrated and described. 